Get Ready For Tax Season With Free Help From Tax Aide

We're headed towards the end of the year, and I don't know about you; but I not only consider this to be a time to reflect and be thankful for all we have; spending time with family and friends for the holidays, and baking to my hearts content, I also think of it as time to get everything in line for tax season.

Completing your taxes can be a simple process for many; but more often than not, if you are not receiving some kind of assistance to help you with your taxes, you could be missing some of the key steps that can help you keep more money in your pocket than you think.

AARP TAX-AIDE PROVIDES FREE TAX PREP FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED IT

That's where AARP and Tax-Aide come in. Tax-Aide will provide free assistance to anyone, free of charge. Their focus is on people who are over 50 and have low-middle income status.

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TAX AIDE COSTS YOU NOTHING

Roger Eriksson, retired CPA and a former Vice President for Wolter Klewer, and retired  IT Executive Glen Scuteri, stopped by to talk about this fantastic program. They told me that Tax-Aide costs you nothing. They said that last year, through the program, over 2.5 million dollars in refunds were generated locally.

Tax-Aide is not limited to seniors or low-income families, but they are not allowed to do corporate returns or farm returns. Other than that, they can help anyone, outside of those special circumstances, get their taxes ready to file.

80-90 percent of the people who use Tax-Aide locally are seniors. Last year locally, Tax-Aide volunteers completed over 1300 tax returns.

Tax-Aide has been growing locally every year by a few hundred a year. Tax-Aide is adding new sites this year.

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ACCURACY IS SOMETHING TAX AIDE IS PROUD OF

One of the most important pieces of the Tax-Aide puzzle is ensuring the accuracy of tax returns, and that is something they take great pride in.

With the new tax law, it's important to get your taxes done right. Tax Aide has been around since 1968, helping people do their taxes. In St. Cloud, they've been helping in the area since about 1980.

FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY FOR A RENT CREDIT

Tax-Aide clients will sometimes find that they qualify for rent credits that they didn't know they could get before, which is why it's so important to get someone who understands the current tax laws when working on your tax return.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TAX AIDE TO COMPLETE YOUR RETURN?

Clients always appreciate it when they can get their taxes done in one visit, so most of the clients who use Tax-Aide fall into that category. Others sometimes need two visits. It all depends on your taxes.

IRS requirements for Tax Aide require more than one person working on the return. One person does the return, another person checks it over, and then the client is responsible for the final tax return. This system helps make sure that the tax return is done properly before releasing it back to the client.

GET TRAINED TO BE A TAX AIDE VOLUNTEER WITH AARP

This might sound like a field that you want to be involved with, and Tax-Aide is always looking to train new people for various roles, so you can reach out by clicking HERE to learn more.

HOW TO SET UP YOUR TAX AIDE APPOINTMENT

Roger and Glen said you can call this number and set up an appointment:· Appointments can be made by calling 320-200-9704. You can call this number in January. Schedulers will call you back to set up your appointment. Most appointments can be completed in one visit, but depending on your situation, it might take two visits to complete your return.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BRING WITH YOU TO THE MEETING

Wondering what you need to have ready to bring to your appointment? Simply click HERE for a list of things that you will need, so you are prepared when you schedule your appointment.